


The Red Tie

by The_Engineer



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, Kidnapping, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-28
Updated: 2014-12-27
Packaged: 2018-03-03 22:28:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2890298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Engineer/pseuds/The_Engineer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ianto has gone missing and the rest of the team have been given retcon so they do not remember him. But Jack remembers pale skin, blue-gray eyes and a voice calling him sir. Can they solve the puzzle of the missing Ianto before it is too late?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Where is Ianto?

Jack woke up, he had been dreaming again but he couldn’t remember his dream, it was there fading into sub consciousness. He thought he had been having the same dream every night for the last few weeks and it disturbed him even more.

It was still early when Jack was walking through the messy hub. Surfaces were overrun with old take away and pizza boxes. Coffee cups overflowed from bins, small pools of the liquid coagulated at the base of the bin. Somewhere in this mess something was off, an odor was overpowering the swamp smell of the eau-de-hub, Jack was used to. There was the unused desk piled high with reports to be sorted and filed, whenever one of them got around to it.

Jack walked into the kitchenette…and nothing……Like the rest of the hub it was littered with debris and unused. Jack couldn’t understand why he felt such a profane sense of loss and sadness every time he entered the kitchenette. It had been this way for weeks now. He would walk into the kitchenette and expect…..something…someone, only for it… them not to be there. Jack walked back to his office to shake of his melancholy.

He was sorting through the rift debris; soon he would have to take the boxes down to the archives. Jack keeps thinking they should hire someone to help out, files the reports and archiving….Jack never went down into the archives if he could help it.

The rift alert went off telling Jack that an alien life form had come through. Jack raced to the SUV and took off. He could have called the others in but decided he could handle t on his own.

Jack returned an hour later covered in alien goo. He walked passed Tosh who scrunched her nose at him. Jack smiled and went to his bunker to change. The alien was not suited to the atmosphere and promptly exploded covering Jack when he went to contain it. Luckily it wasn’t corrosive.

Jack was just out of the shower and putting on a new shirt when a button popped off. It had been happening a lot lately, buttons coming off his clothes, holes in his RAF coat….He thought it rolled under the bunk so he bent down and reached under, only to find something soft and silky brush his fingertips. Curious Jack pulled at the material and found himself with a blood red silk tie in his hand. Back to standing Jack fingered the tie. It was silk and expensive and most importantly, not his. _Why would a tie be under my bed?_ Jack did not take his conquests back to the hub, ever! And no one comes down to the bunker except him. But the tie feels….important, so he puts it in his pocket. During the day when Jack feels anxious of stressed his hand dives into his pocket and strokes the tie to sooth him.

He can’t ignore it forever, Jack has to go down into the archives, and the boxes of rift debris are stacking up and starting to block access. Tosh offers help but Jack waves her away. It takes several trips and Jack looks around the archives, mostly piled boxes but at one time Jack was sure it was organized. Jack’s fingers slide into his pocket, the touch of the silky tie reassures him. He pauses for a moment by the filing cabinets. He pulls a drawer, inside are reports filed neatly in a handwriting that looks familiar. He slides the door shut when it comes. The reason Jack does not like going into the archives. A vague shape floats in his memory, pin striped trouser. Jack’s fingers flex like they should be unbuttoning a shirt. A flash of a pale chest under his hands, trembling. Jack thinks he should feel solid flesh under his fingers. Frantic hands should be unzipping flies and palming erections.

There is a light sheen of sweat on Jack, and he can feel himself harder. He walks towards the desk and runs his fingers across the smooth worn dark wood. More image assault his mind, a mouth breathing into his, a tongue slipping into his mouth, a body pressed up against his desiring flesh on flesh contact.

Jack is achingly hard now, his breathing increased, heart pounding. Jack’s hand slides down the front of his trousers, palming his erection. With deft fingers he unzips his fly and begins to stroke. _It’s not the same_ his memory cries. Jack fingers delve into his pocket and bring out the tie. He drapes the tie over his cock loving the sensation, using the tie to caress his swollen member he continues to stroke.

Jack looks at the chair and gasps, a memory of lust filled blue-gray eyes gaze up at him before pale pink lips open and a red tongue licks the smooth crown of his cock. Jack is getting closer to coming stroking faster, sweat beading on his forehead as his mind supplies fantasies…. _no memories._

Jack takes the tie off his cock and drops it on the desk, more thoughts and memories flood his mind, and it is overwhelming. A man, young, pale skin and dark hair, beautiful…who is he?

Why does Jack know that there is a bottle of his favorite lube in the top drawer? While one hand deftly strokes and cups his balls, Jack’s other hand opens the drawer and fishing momentary, comes out with the lube. He flicks the lid open with one hand and pours some on his fingers, then clumsily closes the top, not caring if some of the lube ends up on the desk or floor. Jack coats his cock with the lube then starts to stroke again. Jack imagines….remembers legs wrapped around his hips, thrusting into a tight warm hole, panting breath in his ear, moans of pleasure with each thrust. Pale arms are wrapped around Jack pulling him close welsh vowels caress his ear _harder…faster…fuck…._ lips on his ear, teeth biting his neck and shoulder.

In one fluid movement Jack reaches around and slides his fingers in his arse, hissing at the pleasure, pain and sorrow. There are tears mixed with his sweat, his hand still jerking his cock, His finger pushing further into his arse, his orgasm so close. He feels his body tighten, coiled.

“IANTO!” Jack screams as hot come erupts from his cock spurting onto the desk and tie. Panting he pulls his fingers from his arse, and loosens his grip, He is panting and crying. _Ianto Jones, my beautiful Welshman._

Jack panted and sweated until his heart rate decreased Ianto! Where was Ianto? Jack remembered him; they were....comfort to each other. Jack tucked himself back in and went and washed his hands. He looked at the lockers and quietly opened and closed everyone. Nothing. No sign of Ianto, he should have a spare suit here. Jack went back up to the main hub and was looking around, a sign anything that Ianto had been there.  
Jack walked over to Tosh's desk.

  
"Tosh, where is Ianto?" He says it quietly.

  
The clicking of the keyboard goes silent. Tosh's fingers pause in midair. Tosh looks over towards Owen. Owen seeing the panic look in her eyes gets up and walks over to them.

  
Jack ignores his audience and focuses on Tosh.

  
"Toshiko, where is Ianto?" Jack's voice a little deeper hinting at subdued anger.

  
Tosh only looks at Owen.

  
"Shit, not again." Owen sighs shaking his head and looking at Jack with what looked like pity.

  
"What not again? Owen where is Ianto?" Jack isn't sure who to be angry at.

  
"Jack....Ianto is dead. He died a few months back." Owen cautiously reaches out to Jack who shrugs off his arm.

  
"What? When? How?" Jack is confused; his memories are…feel…..recent.

  
Tosh puts her face in her hands, her shoulder are shaking. They watch her cry silently; it’s over before they can react. Then she lifts her head and reaching for a tissue wipes her eyes. Only then does she look at Jack.

  
"Ianto is dead Jack....you....you took retcon to forget him. But you keep breaking it...you just have to accept it Jack. He is gone." Tosh reaches out towards Jack when he jerks back and shakes his head.

  
"no...I wouldn't....I remember just a few weeks ago. How ...how many times?" Jack cannot believe what he is hearing. He knows he would never retcon himself, not after the time agency.

  
"This is the third time in two months; you are breaking it faster each time. Jack you need to come to terms with his death, I don't think it is wise to continue retconning you..." Owen looks at Jack in concern.

  
Jack backs up slowly and goes turns and goes into his office. Tosh and Owen watch him.

  
"I'll keep an eye on him." Owen tells Tosh as he goes back to the med bay.  
  
Jack is frantically searching his office, something is not right. He can't find a single form with Ianto's hand writing, he starting going through the database there are no pictures of him, nothing to show he ever existed in Torchwood at all. Where is the death certificate? What did he die of? Jack stops to think, there are warning bells going off in his head. Something is not right. Even if Ianto died there should be something, even if he has been dead for four months as Owen suggested. Jack opened his bottom drawer and after removing the old files ,lifts the false bottom to reveal the secret compartment and pulls out an old tin. He opened it and saw the one thing he needed to assure himself of Ianto's place in Jack's life _and heart._ An old and worn stopwatch, they had used when they had resumed their arrangement after Suzie died and several times since then. There was also a photo of Ianto and Jack their heads tilted together and smiling. It had been taken at a party, Jack had cropped the everyone else out.

  
Jack dismissed Tosh and Owen early; he wanted to be alone in the hub. He started his search. Jack pulled up Ianto death certificate, it was signed by Owen. GSW to the head, suicide was the verdict. Jack couldn't believe that, not Ianto. Ianto was so much stronger than that. They talked during his suspension, Jack would have known, they were lovers. When did Ianto have the chance he was with Jack constantly......

  
Jack went back down into the archives; his memories seem to be stronger there. He remembered playing naked hide and seek and finding Ianto hiding down here. He remembered when Jack suggested they build a fort and play house. Why would he want to forget Ianto? They had been lovers, Jack felt.....very close to Ianto, he needed Ianto like he hadn’t needed anyone in an over a century.  
  
Jack looked at the death certificate again and went to the morgue. He needed to see Ianto for himself.


	2. Chapter 2

Owen's phone alarmed. Groaning he knew it meant that everyone was to report to the hub, it was almost 4am. Owen dressed and made it to the hub in less than 10 minutes; he could see Gwen and Tosh ahead of them. The entered through the tourist office and headed down into the hub. Tosh gasped when she looked around, There were files strewn everywhere as if someone was looking for something.  
Jack was watching them.  
"What happened here?" Gwen asked looking at Jack. She stepped back slight when she saw the anger in his face. They had seen him that angry before, at the cannibals.  
  
Jack strode forward and grabbed Owen and was shaking him.

"Where is he!”?

  
"Jack!" Tosh tires to intervene, but Jack is pulling Owen towards the morgue.

"He is dead Jack! Accept it!" Owen pulls himself free. The women were following behind

"Then where is he?!?" Jack shoves a file in Owen's face. Owen grabs the file and looks at it. "He is in space 067, but Jack...." Jack had grabbed his arm and started pulling him again.  
  
They entered the morgue and Gwen gasped. Every drawer had been opened and containers pulled out.

Jack pulled Owen to 067, it was empty.

"Where is he?" Jack hissed in Owen's ear.

  
"I...must have written it down wrong," Owen's brow furrowed. Jack pulled him to 076 which was contained a young woman dressed in Victorian garb.

  
"He’s not here." Jack increased the pressure on Owen's arm.

  
"No he is...I remember putting him in the morgue myself." Owen looked at Jack confused.

Tosh looked at them confused, "Ianto was buried, next to his mother. The two men looked at her.

"Who are you talking about?" Gwen finally asked seeing her coworkers in distress.

Jack looked at Gwen, "Ianto."

"Who is Ianto?" Gwen asks gently, seeing Jack in distress. They stare at her shocked. Then they look at each other.

"You don’t remember Ianto?" Jack asks Gwen.

"No...Was he before my time?" Gwen looks at the others.

Jack looks at Tosh. "How did Ianto die?"

Tosh looked at Jack, "he died from drowning."

Owen’s head snapped up, "he died of a gunshot wound to the head; I ruled it as a suicide."

Tosh shook her head, "no he drowned, remember when the cyber women threw him across the hub, he landed in water and drowned."

Jack looked at Tosh. "How do you know that? You weren't in the hub?"

"I...I....." Tosh looked confused. "Don’t know....

"Why don't you remember Ianto?" Jack asks of Gwen?

But Gwen looks at them confused and a little fearful.

Jack looks at Tosh, when did Ianto die?”

Tosh looking from Jack to Owen, “April...24th”

“No, he died at the end of May, committed suicide, rather than returning…..”

Jack is shaking his head. “We don’t know when he died. Okay, Owen, you said Ianto died of a GSW, and Tosh says drowning. Gwen doesn’t remember him and for some reason....I think he died of a weevil attack a few weeks ago. Nothing is adding up. So Owen go back and find your original report, Tosh get on the CCTV I want to know the last time Ianto was in the hub.  Gwen start going through our database look for anything out of order, missing time, things like that. He couldn’t…wouldn’t just disappear without us knowing.

Owen coughed, "Uh, Jack. Ianto is the only one of us, except maybe Tosh who could fake a disappearance."

Jack thought about it. "Ianto was a professional; if he did fake his death then it would be perfect. There would be a body, false records, and the same gods damn story of how he died. No someone wants us to think he is dead, and I want to find him!"

They each retreated to their work stations; soon the clicking of keyboards was rampant in the hub. Jack went to his office to begin his own search for his missing lover.

Tosh was the first to yell, and then Owen and Gwen joined in. Jack came out of his office and instructed Gwen to get lunch for everyone, they would meet in the conference room in an hour, and then Jack left the hub.

An hour later Tosh, Gwen and Owen were eating sandwiches waiting for Jack. Jack came in and sat down. He looked at his team, and nodded to Tosh for her to begin.

Tosh reported that someone had accessed the CCTV cameras and mainframe, Ianto Jones, or at least his Torchwood ID card was last used 28 days ago. Tosh dug deep and noticed several inconsistencies with the CCTV cameras and ran a trace, they had been compromised, but from inside. Tosh put up a firewall and was running several programs to tighten security and run a trace on all the hub systems to see if there were any other intrusions.

Owen verified that the death certificate was authentic, however. The date, not of Ianto death, of the autopsy was suspicious. Owen backtracked and had written evidence that he had not preformed any autopsies that day, being out on weevil calls.

Gwen then reported that all mention of Ianto Jones had been erased from their database. So Gwen went to paper copies and found several missing reports and files. Digging deeps Gwen figures that all the missing paperwork is related to the missing Torchwood co-worker, as it was consistence of the job description Owen supplied her.

Jack nodded and looked at them in turn, exceptional proud of them.

“So Jack, did you find anything?” Gwen asks hesitantly.

“I found Ianto.” Jack stated. Owen, Tosh and Gwen started to talk at once. Jack put his hands up for silence.

“Tosh you swept the hub.” Jack stated and Tosh nodded in agreement. “I found…I think I found where they took Ianto. I don’t know why, yet. I will give Tosh the location, Tosh you get us blueprints and anything else we might need. Access to their cameras, everything. The rest of you hit the armory we are getting our archivist back.” Jack’s face is grim. The others get up and start back to their stations.

“Tosh, you will stay here and coordinate, Gwen and Owen, with me.” They all leave for the garage and get into the SUV.

They drive in silence, Tosh is telling them about the building, she had accessed logs and sees there are only 8 soldiers on at night, minimum security. She has also accessed the CCTV cameras and is telling everyone the pattern the security team is following.

“There is a rugby game on so they are pretty distracted. All but 2 of them are inside the office. Jack I will disable the gate, you should have no problem getting in.”

“Everyone maintain radio silence unless you are in danger. Jack out.”

The arrive at their destination 45 minutes later, a set of what looked like an industrial estate surround by a chain link fence. Jack cut the lights to the SUV and rolled up to the gate, which silently rolled back. Jack drove through, Tosh had told him what building he was looking for and that all the guards were in the office. Jack parked the SUV outside the building and stealthily they quickly made it to the front door of one of the non-descript buildings. Jack used his vortex manipulator to override the circuit and the door clicked open. Jack went it first followed by Owen and Gwen. The entered a dimly lit reception area with a few chairs. Jack could see several men watching a TV their backs to the front door. Jack, Owen and Gwen tip toed to the office door. Jack was sorely tempted to shoot them all, but decided in case they needed someone to interrogate….So Jack settled for shooting the TV instead. The men jumped but it was too late, they were surrounded by the Torchwood team holding very intimidating weapons. Gwen collected the men’s guns and zip tied their wrist and ankles and sat them against the wall. Owen kept her and the men covered. Jack had given explicit orders for them not to talk at all.

Once he was sure the men were subdued Jack went to look for Ianto. He tried several doors but did not find what….who he was looking for. Jack paused at a computer station and plugged in a little alien device he had ‘borrowed’ years ago from an out of town tourist. Soon he found what he was looking for and headed towards the stairs. On the fourth level eighth door on the right, Jack cautiously opened the door and looked in.

Sleeping on a cot was Ianto, Jack’s heart soared. Slowly Jack walked into the room and gently placed an arm on the sleeping form.

Ianto jerked awake and away from Jack like he had been burned hitting the wall with a loud bang.

“Jack?” Ianto’s voice croaked, looking up at the man bewildered.

“Ianto…it’s okay.” On closer inspection Jack could see deep purple and blue and bruising around Ianto’s cheek and forehead and Jack gritted his teeth, neck. Jack was mentally planning retribution after he got Ianto to safety. Slowly Jack reached out his hand again to caress Ianto’s face. Ianto closed his eyes and nuzzled Jack’s hand.

Jack moved closer and placed a few tender kisses on Ianto forehead and closed eyes. Jack wanted to get Ianto out of there immediately, but he also had to make sure Ianto was relatively unharmed. But as usual Ianto took the situation in hand and wrapped his arms around Jack. Jack rocked them both for a few minutes then helped Ianto to his feet. Ianto leaned heavily on Jack, one arm around Jack’s waist. While Jack holds on to Ianto from the waist. They slowly make their way out of the room. Ianto is dragging his left leg and it is obvious that several of Ianto’s fingers have been broken given the way Ianto hung his hands and his fingers are twisted.

Soon they were back into the central area with Owen and Gwen were guarding the soldiers. Jack nodded to Owen and Owen took Jack’s place and started to look over Ianto.

“I’m taking Ianto to the SUV, don’t be long. Owen gently guided Ianto outside. Jack looked around at the soldiers and choosing the one who looked most defiant picked him up and dragged him to a side room.

“I told you, it would have been better for one of you to have spoken up, but now….” Gwen just shrugs as the sound of a man’s scream echo through the room.

“Gwen, bring me another one!” Jack yelled as he opened the door. There was a tiny smear of blood on Jack’s cheek. Gwen looked and Jack and for once did not argue, she too saw the condition her colleague was in. Gwen grabbed another solider and dragged him into the room, then walked back toward the remaining men.

“Are you sure you don’t remember who you were working for? I mean it is too late for those other guys but there is still time to save yourselves.”

Another scream pierces the air, and Jack flings the door open, “Another one!” Jack glares at the remaining men, “they just don’t make men like they used to. These one keep dying.”

Gwen looks, then selects what she thinks is the youngest, “well, let’s hope you last longer than the others.”

“wait wait!” Screams the soldier, “It’s Ludeman, Frank Ludeman. We don’t know what he wants. We were just guarding the guy. I swear we didn’t touch him.”

“Gwen!” Jack had opened the door again, the men could see the floor had turned red and then looked at each other nervously.

“Frank Ludeman, ring a bell Jack?” Gwen says over her shoulder. Jack pauses then nods. “Okay get Owen back in here. I want a full clean sweep of this place.” Jack walks past the men who couldn’t help shudder at the bloody footprints his boots left.

Soon Owen came in complaining about patients, looked at the remaining soldier then proceeded to give each one a shot. Jack had gone to the SUV to call Tosh to clean sweep the building of any information. Jack stroked Ianto who was sleeping in the back seat of the SUV. After Tosh gave the okay Jack called a general at UNIT he was not presently arguing with and sent them to come and collect the remaining soldiers, they were leaving.

Owen and Gwen soon came out of the building and got into the SUV, Owen in back so he could monitor Ianto. No one spoke as Jack drove. Gwen wanted desperately to question Jack but saw by the set of his jaw it would be…unwise.

Jack wanted to carry Ianto into the hub but Owen overruled telling Jack that Ianto had internal injuries and that being carried could seriously hurt Ianto even more. So Jack waited until Owen came back with a gurney and rolled Ianto into the hub straight into med bay.

None of the Torchwood team knew why Ianto was taken and what he had been put through, so far their sleeping colleague was unable to tell them.

Ianto woke to the quiet hum of the hub, he felt Jack close by but he needed Tosh.

“Jack,” Ianto whispered. Jack leaned down, “I need Tosh…and a laptop.” Jack pulled quickly and went to the stairs. Normally he would yell but Owen was concerned about concussion and a perforated eardrum.

Soon Tosh was at his side with her laptop open, Jack and the others watched from above. Ianto then began to whisper and Tosh’s fingers went flying over the keyboard, occasionally her eyes growing wide. It took a full hour for Ianto to finish then he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

“Tosh?” Jack stated to ask when his genius technician ran by hum towards her work station.

“Not now Jack! I’m sorry but I have to finish this so it doesn’t happen again.” Tosh voice range out in a panic.

So they waited while Tosh worked the constant clicking of her keyboard had gotten on Jack’s nerves. He hated not knowing what was going on but understood Tosh needed to work fast so he did not interrupt her.

It was a long night. Tosh finally stopped working a few hours later and Jack told her to go home. Gwen had gone home an hour ago when Owen said Ianto would be fine and that he would probably sleep through the night. Owen or Jack promised to text her when he woke up or if they needed her. Even though Owen had Ianto hooked up to a few bits of alien technology that would notify him if there were any changes in Ianto’s condition, he opted to sleep on the couch for the night, despite Jack telling him to go home. Owen had not told Jack about all of Ianto’s injuries and was not looking forward to having to write the report.

The following morning Tosh and Gwen had arrived early the latter bringing pastries and coffee for everyone. It was quiet in the hub when they arrived. Tosh desperately wanting to see Ianto had to first check her computer programs. Jack had sent her home but she had stayed up and monitored the program to make sure it was safe.

Gwen was peering down into the med bay, Owen was checking on Ianto’s vitals and Jack was stroking Ianto’s brow.

Owen looked up and nodded for the two women to join them. Gwen passed around the coffee and pastries. Ianto opened his eyes and smiled. Gwen smiled back, “I brought you some tea.”

Jack gently helps Ianto to sit up and Ianto gratefully took a sip of tea, relishing the warm liquid.

“Did you finish it Tosh?” Ianto asked looking at the tech. Tosh nodded. Ianto closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“When I worked for ONE I was employed as junior researcher to Darren Lyons, he was head of our library archives. Darren taught me everything about the library and how things were archived. My edict memories made me invaluable; I was able to recall the smallest detail from a file I had read two months ago. Darren had me memorize the library database code of alien artifacts and everything else Torchwood had accumulated about aliens and technology. When the Cyberman came Darren destroyed the main library database, but there was an offsite library on a ghost server that was in code. Someone found the ghost server and wanted the database codes. I was the only living person who had the codes to unlock the database that would grant access to Torchwood ONE’s entire library, including the information Hartman gathered to create the ghost shifts and bring the Cyberman to earth, and the weapons manufactured based on alien technology.”

Ianto’s gaze shift to Jack, “I didn’t break, sir. I never told them.”

Jack bent down and kissed Ianto’s brow, “I know.” Jack was proud. Owen finally told him all of Ianto’s injuries. Ianto would heal but it would be a three to four months before he could return to the field and he would need several sessions of physical therapy in the meantime.

“But when did they take you?” Gwen asked.

“As we were getting into the SUV, they had been watching us and knew about our base. My guess is they had inside knowledge of Torchwood, I had found a minor interruption in our systems the day before. Not enough to alert mainframe but enough that they could gain access to our employment files, mine specifically. They triggered an alarm and took us in the garage. There were nine of them to ‘clean up.’ I watched them inject everyone with a drug and when they went to place false memories, I made certain…suggestions. You were to think I died. I knew that eventually one or all of you would break the drug and with careful manipulation made sure that nothing about my death added up so you would come looking for me.” Ianto closed his eyes. His friends were safe and he was away from the bastards who hurt him, and the database was destroyed for good. Ianto hated to release the virus that would wipe out a centuries worth of knowledge from alien encounters to the curse for life threatening diseases but he did it because of a single file…. titled captain Jack Harkness. No one…absolutely no one could ever know what was in that file. Ianto would not allow anyone to hurt his captain, better to lose a century of knowledge than allow a single bit of information about Jack get into the wrong hands.

Jack stroked Ianto’s head, and then placed another kiss and a whispered “thank you,” in Ianto’s ear. Jack had made many painful decisions and sacrifices for his friends and lovers over the centuries, but Jack thought Ianto’s decision to protect a single individual was the greatest sacrifice ever made for him.

 

 

 


End file.
